A New Beginning
by bright eyed beauty
Summary: Stefan has finally slipped Klaus's grasp, and has come back for Elena after a year has gone and passed, will Stefan be able to gain her back? what has Elena and Damons relationship become? What happened to Klaus?
1. Chapter 1

*this is only the first paragraph and a half*

if i get a good responce i will continue to add more to it!

It had been another a hard year; the school bell rang as her junior year came to a close. Everything was in slow motion. She could see the faces of her friends passing by, but she couldn't hear them speak. She reached the exit doors, and the brightly lit sun nearly drowned her. Elena was not the same anymore. She was tired and sad; she was confused, and broken, but nobody knew why. She couldn't hear the shouts as the crowded school buzzed with plans of summer. She must have walked past 1,000 different colored posters for activities she was supposed to help complete but hadn't. The buzzing was getting louder more noticeable; it was really starting to bother her. She tried to clear her mind and focus on the simple things, the color of her shoe laces, the pattern in the cement, the leaves on the trees. When out of the blue she heard a voice call "Elena," that sound confused her; she was usually so good at blocking people out. Why was that the only one she could hear over all the moving mouths? "Hey! Elena!" it called again, but it couldn't be who she thought it was. She ignored it again, trying to regain some of the sanity she lost over the school year. "Elena!" the voice rang, loud and clear, and then she knew she couldn't ignore It any longer, she slowly turned around holding her breath as she went. His face, the only face she felt like she knew was standing not even ten feet away from her, his facial features were quiet, but his eyes were glowing. If only she could reach out and touch the boy she so longingly missed, but she knew he wasn't really there. This had been happening frequently to her, she tried to move on from him, but he held her everything. No other love would hold anything for her; she only wanted him. The mirage smiled at her "please listen" he said almost close enough to touch her, but she ignored it and walked back to her car without turning around. Elena climbed in the empty car and started the engine ignoring all the sarcastic remarks she could make about the deteriorating rate of her brain. Elena drove silently home and parked her car in the drive way, took a deep breath and walked inside.


	2. Chapter 2

She shut the front door loudly behind her, threw her school bag on the chair, and breathed deeply through her nose. "Please Elena" the voice begged again. Elena nearly jumped out of her skin goose bumps rose on her neck; she turned as quickly as she could to the voice. "Will you stop following me? It's hard enough to pretend that I'm not insane! No need to prove it to the world by talking to the air." He stood by the stairs with a pained confused look in his eyes, but she wasn't bothered by it and stormed up to her room eager to get away from the failed reminder. When she finally reached her bed room, he was sitting on top of her floral comforter at the foot of her bed. The mirage's expression looked worried "What are you talking about? You're not crazy!" he tried to grab her hand, but she silently snatched it away, her expression was impassive and cold. "Stefan is gone. You're not him. Stop pretending you're him." anger started to burst through her façade. Luckily Jeremy was out with Bonnie tonight, so they wouldn't be checking in on her; she wasn't sure what they would think if they saw her screaming at her walls. He peered sideways at her confused "of course it's me!" laughing weakly "who else would I be!" he smiled the same warm smile. She just wanted to curl up next to him and stroke him and tell him how much she missed him, and how much she loved him, but she knew that she would only be disappointed if she even tried. She leaned against her dresser for support "Stefan left me, and he won't be coming back. You have no business trying to break me down" she was tired of hallucinating, and dreaming of him, everything was about him, her world did not revolve around a boy, that one boy. Plenty of boys loved her, she could have any of them she wanted, but she didn't care for them like she did with Stefan. She was tired of wishing and hoping Stefan would walk through the door and kiss her on the cheek and tell her if was all a nightmare. She just didn't want to be near anyone or anything anymore, nothing was worth the pain of losing. Stefan's mirage pulled her out of her thought "What are you saying?" he pleaded seeming worried. Worried like everyone else, constantly asking if she was okay, wondering why she didn't care anymore, and not knowing what part of her had gone missing, she told everyone, besides Damon, that Stefan moved away and he wouldn't be able to come back, they understood her depression to an extent but they didn't know the reality of the situation. "Elena, please it's me!" he begged she ignored him again turning to tuck her diary it its safe spot behind the ugly mermaid she kept on her dark wooden bookshelf. A flare of desperation hit her lips "Can you please leave?" when she turned he saw her eyes were starting to tear up, her heart melting. He grabbed her face despite her protest, and looked level into her eyes "it's me." He said calmly and surely. In that moment so many emotions ran through her. Just one touch was all it took. Embarrassment, anger, sadness, happiness, excitement, love, hate ran through her like a fire. She let go of him for a second, then swung back and slapped him hard across the face. She knew he felt no pain, but she also knew that he could understand the gesture. He paused for a moment rubbing his face, and then she broke down crying "hey, hey it's okay." He soothed her, rubbing her back softly. "I'm so sorry Elena, You have to believe me! I'm so sorry" he cooed but she couldn't think, so many things where running through her mind. "Stefan?" she whispered lightly her head spinning her hands sweating "yes, it's me, I'm here" then all she could remember was falling into the deep black shadows of her mind.


	3. Chapter 3

Elena opened her eyes slowly; blinking at the ceiling above her the wave of memories flooded her immediacy. She sat up gasping searching for him, he was sitting on the edge of her wide bed with is head in his hands. Elena wasn't sure what to do; Damon would need to know as soon as possible. She could remember their failed attempts at rescuing Damon's only brother, but the closer they got the farther Stefan told them to go; he did not want to leave. he signed up for life, destroying the world with Klaus just to save his brother, but not in a million years would she ever had thought that he would have wanted to stay. Elena was still gazing at Stefan, memorizing him, and everything they shared, everything they had lost. He must have felt her eyes on him, because he peered over at her; his eyes full of confusion and worry. "Elena…" he started hoping she wouldn't pass out if he said anything to drastic. His voice hit her like a slap in the face, oh how she missed it so much. "How did you get away Stefan." Her voice seemed blunt and unconcerned. She couldn't stand to show emotion she was stronger than this, letting her world revolve around one single boy was insanity. "I know you're mad at me" he started, but she didn't let him finish "Mad? Mad? Stefan I'm not mad." She was obviously very angry "I am perfectly fine; everything you decided was to benefit you! But it doesn't matter because I am fine!" her voice cracked at the last word. He raised his hand to place it on her shoulder, she shrugged it off and started pacing the room "It was brave and noble to take a hit like that for your brother, but when we have finally come up with a good enough plan… you tell us to go? That you are happy draining blood and murdering helpless humans? Stefan, did you think that even if you got away that I could sit here and tell you that I forgive you? That I loved you?" her voice was rising with every sentence. Stefan got up and took a deep breath preparing to explain himself, Elena froze next to her dresser not looking him completely in the eye "Elena, please you have to understand! Don't you remember the first time I broke? When I was so deranged that you had to lock me away? That's the person you were trying to save! He didn't want to be saved" his eyes were full of remorse "he is a murder, a ripper, don't pretend you don't know that!" for Elena had rolled her eyes at the word, she cut off his venting and took a stab at him "Of course I knew what I was singing up for, but to me it didn't matter because I loved you! I loved you more than anything, or anyone, and for you to tell me that you didn't want me back, that this blood was more important than our relationship, that's when I decided that our relationship wouldn't continue, that I wouldn't take you back if you were begging on your knees, because I knew that Stefan Salvatore didn't love me anymore." The last line of her long defense was broken and quiet. Tears trickled noiselessly down her cheeks she gripped the dresser tightly, looking down at it to avoid his face to avoid everything she had been putting off. She didn't hear him, but he pulled back the hair from her face and turned her towards him "I'm so sorry Elena; I was out of my mind. To loose someone like you, so smart, warm, trusting, was a mistake and I hope I never make such a fool of myself again. If you truly feel this way I will not disturb you again, if you need me I will be staying up at the boarding house, hopefully Damon will at least give me that" he took her hand and squeezed it gently "I will always love you Elena Gilbert, nothing will ever change that feeling." Elena closed her eyes; a tear fell slowly to the floor as a light breeze drifted across the room. Elena wiped her face and walked shakily over to her bed where she cried until she saw the sun peaking over the clouds.


	4. Chapter 4

_***This is a really long post compered to my other ones, but I hope that you enjoy it anyway***_

It was hard to wake up the next morning; she was fighting with her memories. Had it been a dream? Was Stefan really home? She wasn't sure, but until she saw him again she trusted nothing that had gone on the night before. Elena walked slumberly into the small cramped bathroom she shared with her younger brother Jeremy. The tile was freezing cold, and his tooth brush untouched, she hadn't heard him come home last night; Elena panicked, like she did with almost everything now-a-days. She was afraid of losing more people in her life that is caused her to over think situations. She yanked open the door connecting Jeremy's room to her own, and then she really wished she hadn't. Bonnie and Jeremy were wrapped up in his sheets; they sat straight up when they saw her open the door. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" she spluttered out quickly, and slammed the door behind her. Elena was kind of confused between their relationship. Bonnie was her best friend, and now she was hooking up with her little brother? That felt really weird to her, she was glad that they were both mutually happy, and that things were finally going right for the two of them, but Elena (though she'd never say it to either of their faces) was just kind of worried about them.

She tried to shake it off smiling a little bit "at least they're happy" she whispered to herself. She bounded down the warm carpeted stairs, and walked into the small dark kitchen and flipped on the small oven light. She grabbed a mug and poured herself some coffee; the smell made her taste buds water. She heard a soft throat clearing behind her, and nearly spilled the boiling liquid down her pants. She turned around slowly; it was of course Damon. "you scared me!" she accused turning back on her coffee trying to stop her hand from trembling; trying to stop thinking of who she wished it would be. "Sorry" he said slowly she looked back at his face trying to understand his tone "what?" she said sharply his face was impassive and upset. She knew exactly why, but she thought playing dumb was a safer move "why are you all moody today?" she asked him teasingly hoping to play this off lightly "You know why I'm here Elena, so please cut it with the whole act" his voice was sharp and angry now "what do you mean she said" her eyes narrowing "I know, that you know Stefan's back" the name even burned in his throat, for the brother that didn't want to come home. He shook his dark hair out his face waiting for her to confess. She decided to give up on the façade "yes, so what?" she looked away from him. She sipped her coffee slowly giving her an excuse to look away and move her hands. "Why didn't you call me the second you knew?" he asked her his expression looked hurt and confused, but honestly she didn't know why she hadn't screamed. He could have still been mad with human blood, but she didn't think about it when she saw him. "I don't know" she told him honestly "I really don't, I forgot everything I guess" Damon's eyebrows raised "you forgot? You forgot your boyfriend is now a psycho murder? That's not something you just forget, Elena!" he was getting more frustrated at her every second "you know what, Damon?" she was getting frustrated too "just leave, I'm fine obviously! My Ex-Boyfriend came to see me last night, but it looks like he's not really in the killing mood so I think that I am perfectly safe with Bonnie here. So just go because I'm tired of being judge by every little mistake I make!" she yelled at him he leaned back bothered by her tone, but before he could say anything she was almost out the door yelling up the stairs at Jeremy "Lock up before you leave!" and was in the car in mere seconds.

Elena was unfocused as she drove her normal route to school; when it hit her, schools out for the summer. "Shit" she muttered under her breath. What was supposed to distract her today? She sighed and turned back in the way she came, she wasn't going back home to be humiliated by Damon who would really love to pick at her right now. So instead she pulled into a familiar parking lot and sat there for a while. It was a fairly nice day out today so Elena rolled down the windows and shut off the car. She pulled the old tattered copy of withering heights that Stefan had given to her so long ago and sat her feet up, really trying to get into the book. She was a few chapters in when she remembered how much she loved the book, she remembered the day she tried to return it to Stefan and he told her to keep it; she was so excited. It smelled like his room. She loved Stefan's room; he had a very nice look to it. It was bold without trying to stand out, it made her feel comfortable. She inhaled the scent of the old book, remembering. The sun was warming her unclothed legs, and the breeze was tickling her hair. She sighed taking in another whiff of the aged book, she felt herself dozing off. The next thing she knew the sun was gone and the car was muggy and hot with the feeling of the summer air. She stuck her feet back under the wheel, and rolled up the windows as quickly as she could.

How could she have lost that much of one day? She didn't even do anything yet. She looked over at the dashboard clock it read ten thirty PM. "oh my god!" she shoved the keys in the ignition and the car roared to life. She peeled quickly out of the emptied parking lot and was on the street. She drove quickly down the roads trying to get back before anyone got worried. They all over reacted anyway. Elena pulled up to the Salvatore boarding house and Damon was sitting in the drive way with an irritated look on his face. She slowly got out of the car shutting the door silently walking over towards him "where have you been!" he was angry she could see it simply in his face "sorry, I kind of dozed off" he gave her an incredulous look "then why did Stefan just get home mere minutes before you did." He was eyeing her "I don't know." She said truthfully there was a slight edge to her voice because she had forgotten Stefan was staying at the boarding house. She needed to be bold, to prove to both of them that she was strong and perfectly fine. So she walked past Damon and into the house he followed silently, but she could tell he had a lot on his mind. She walked to the kitchen and opened up the fridge where she normally left some snacks for herself just in case she got a little hungry, but she didn't touch any of it and shut the door. "Damon," he was stalking her through the house trying to get answers, but he wouldn't get the ones he wanted. She had spent her day far from Stefan and the longing he brought her. Not until seconds ago did she even remember he was here, she wanted to run up stairs and hug him tightly and kiss him to sleep but things have changed. "I was in a deserted parking lot all day reading. I was nowhere near Stefan! I accidentally feel asleep while I was reading. I am Sorry I worried you, but it's not like we had plans today." She rudely blew him off and he let her go uncaring now that she was safe.

"I'm going to bed" she called after Damon he acknowledged her with a wave, she occasionally slept at the Salvatore house, when she was too tired to drive home, or when Jeremy was out and she didn't want to be alone, Damon was always there for her and she appreciated it, even with Stefan back these things are just too routine too change at a moment's notice. She walked up the stairs almost entering Stefan's room. The door was cracked; she had been planning to sleep where she normally did. She hopped he didn't notice that she had been looking through his things while he was gone. She peered through the small crack and saw nothing, he wasn't in there. She opened the door confused, and there was a note lying neatly on the made bed "Dear Elena," it read "I noticed you had been sleeping in here for a while now, and I want you to continue to be comfortable. I will be sleeping down the hall if you need anything. - S" he was giving his room to her? She didn't quite understand. She pulled on her pajamas just a tank top and some pajama shorts would do her good in the nice thick blankets Stefan's bed had laid on them. The idea still bothered her, "he should be sleeping here! This is his bedroom, not mine." She was trying to find a double meaning in his words, which of course she found none. "I can't stay in here anymore, I can't sit here and pretend that I am ok, I have to move on." She whispered to herself. Elena wanted a fresh start; she didn't want to be known as the girl who lost her mind because her boyfriend left her. After a half hour of thinking it over she was flustered. She swung the door open and trudged down the hall into the closed guest bedroom. She busted through the door, Stefan jumped up out of the bed; it looked as if he wasn't getting much sleep either. "Stefan." She said bluntly he looked over at her his eye brows creasing "Elena? What's wrong?" she stood there and crossed her arms "why aren't you sleeping in your room tonight?" He switched on the small lamp that sat on the bedside table. The room was bland compared to Stefan and Damon's master suits. "I thought you would be more comfortable in there." He was very confused by her stature and statements. Why didn't he understand that she needed to move on "I can't be in there anymore! I can't wallow! Especially since you are in town, I have to move on. I can't just wait for everything to go right when it always goes left." Her hysteria was getting the best of her, thick tears formed in her eyes and her mouth got very dry.

It hadn't been the best of productive days, but she's had a hard year. She spoke in a whisper "I love you Stefan, I love you so much that I can't even picture you without getting sick. I love you, but everything that has happened has ruined the best of it." Did that even make sense? She wondered to herself. She couldn't even remember why she came in here anymore. Maybe it was just an excuse to see his face again, wouldn't doubt it. She looked over at his heart broken face, her tears streaming without a break "i-I'm sorry" she stuttered "I don't know why I even came in here, thanks for letting me use your bed room, that was really nice of you, I don't know why I am complaining..." she whispered trying to keep the sadness out of her voice. He looked very worried "Elena please-"she cut him off "g-goodnight" she was so stupid to think that admitting a few things would fix everyone's problems everyone at once. All the people they have both hurt all the lives lost. She closed the door quietly and sat down against the wall in the hallway wiping away the tears. She couldn't stand this anymore. She had to leave town it was insanity, but it felt like the right thing to do.


	5. Chapter 5

_**I'm really sorry the last one was so long, and that this one is so short! I didn't have enough time to etch this one out. I hope you enjoy it anyway.**_

The guest door opened again, Stefan walked over to her and picked her off the floor "what are you doing?" she said lifelessly "you always talk." He replied, She felt hurt; good give me more she thought to herself "it's never about what I want from you, it's always you, you hurting people, you worrying about me" he took a deep breath "let me do some of that! Because I have hurt you so much Elena Gilbert and it kills me to watch you cry over something I did. People die because of me, not you. I love you Elena, and I know that things have been broken and upside down for the past year but if nothing else I want you to be happy, and if that means going away again so you can heal than I will!" he looked longingly in her eyes, but she couldn't answer. Words would not come out of her mouth, all the things she has been thinking about for the past 12 months screamed in her head the people he killed, the things he did, the things he said, the way he lied, but she ignored it all and leaned over and kissed him with the all the passion she had. Everything melted away from her; nothing existed except Stefan, and his lips, his hands, his body, his perfection that made her forget her own name. She staggered for a breath crashing into the wall his lips did not move from her skin, he kissed down her throat, on her cheeks, on her chin, and she loved every second of it. She knew she would feel guilty in the morning, but now it simply didn't matter because she loved him, nothing would ever change that. He grabbed her around the waist not breaking their kiss and carried her into his bedroom, shutting the door very quickly and with the snap of a lock all she could see was him.


	6. Chapter 6

**I think this might be the end of this fanfic for me. Not sure how to continue… having writers block! I hope you have enjoyed so far.***

Elena blinked the sleep out of her eyes, rolling over to face the window when she practically laid on Stefan. His eyes were wide open and he was smiling at her. All the memories flew back to her she blushed a little "oh, sorry" she grumbled scooting back onto her pillow not breaking their gaze "it's fine" he looked so blissful he pulled her closer to him and kissed her lightly "I missed this" he murmured stroking any part of her he could reach "I missed it too" she didn't even need to think about it. They sat there staring at each other, remising in blissful memories. Footsteps moved up the stair case "Elena?" Damon called loudly from behind the door "get up!" he was banging on Stefan's door. Scrambling for the sheet she covered herself and got up making sure the door was still locked "I'm up! I need to get dressed, see you in a few?" she had a routine going with Damon since Stefan left. Every other night Elena would switch houses, and have breakfast with Damon and talk about their next move to find Stefan. Ever since they found him, it just started to be something familiar so they continued it. "Yeah, hey have you seen Stefan?" he called through the door she turned around towards Stefan his eyes wide "uh… no." she called back "ok see you later." His voice was suspicious but not cutting. Elena listened to his footsteps go back down the stairs. She ran over to Stefan and jumped on the bed "that was-" he put a finger on her mouth and tapped his ear. Damon was still in hearing range. "Ok" he said a few seconds later "that was close" she finished for him leaning forward to kiss him and he bent back away from her "what do you mean?" he looked a little upset "what? I meant that Damon almost found out" she giggled and tried pulling him close, but he refused and stood up stark naked "why is it wrong for Damon to know? Are you with him now?" Stefan was talking so fast and sounded so serious that it shook her little "no!" she laughed nervously "we became good friends when you were gone! He was there for me, and if he found out that I was hanging around you again – let alone sleeping with you he would be furious, because he trusts me. He loves me too, but I know where my heart belongs" He took a deep breath through his nose "you promise?" he mumbled looking worried again. "cross my heart" she made the motion with her finger and smiled at him "I mean I want to be in public with you again, but I think It will take some time for people to see that you have come back around… you know?" he shook his head agreeing "as long as you are mine and I am yours." He spoke softly she got up and walked around the bed towards him, and wrapped her arms around his waist "forever" nothing mattered. Everything he put her through, the entire heart break, the betrayal, she still meant every syllable.


End file.
